


Patience

by Cat_Moon



Series: Half Breed [5]
Category: Moonlight (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-31
Updated: 2013-08-31
Packaged: 2017-12-25 05:14:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/949032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Cat_Moon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While Beth deals with the repercussions of her confrontation with Coraline, Josef gets stuck babysitting Mick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patience

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of the series, "Half Breed." As such, it's a good idea to read them in order. One follows from the other in what happens; they aren't stand-alone stories and you may not understand what's going on if you read out of order.

_You'd think, being a vampire and living forever, one would develop a level of patience unrivaled in the mortal coil. My ex wife sure had it down to an art form. The kind like that, brewing for decades, waits for just the right moment no matter how long it takes – that's the scary kind. I would just settle for the plain, boring variety. Should've known better, since nothing regarding Beth Turner is plain OR boring._

 

_I'm not freaking out. I'm not freaking out. Okay, I'm freaking out. I know I'm being paranoid, just because I haven't been able to reach Beth for a couple of hours doesn't mean anything is wrong. She's probably out on a story. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. I know that. But she should be answering her phone shouldn't she? Is my unease just overreaction, or does it have to do with the connection we share?_

Finally Mick reached the end of his patience and decided to go see if he could find Beth. If he looked foolish, so be it. He was searching the apartment for his car keys when the knock came at the door. Absently patting his pockets, he opened the door to his friend.

"Sorry, Josef, I really don't have time to talk right now. I've got to… where the hell are my car keys?!"

"Yes, you do."

Something in Josef's tone stopped Mick cold. "Something happened."

"No!" Josef immediately reached out to grab his shoulder. "Jeez. Beth is fine. She sent me."

"Why?"

"You're suspicious."

"I learned it from you. What's going on, Josef?" Patience be damned, he so wasn't in the mood for this.

"There's nothing to worry about."

"Then why are you here? Why did she send you?" Mick was confused, and that only increased his anxiety. Beth sending Josef…it just didn't compute.

"That's for her to tell you when she gets back."

"Back from where?" He asked, trying very hard to keep from wringing his friend's neck, since that might give temporary satisfaction but wouldn't provide the answers he wanted.

"Why don't you just _chill out_ , sit down and relax. She'll be back soon, and then she can explain everything to you."

"Sure." In triumph he finally found his keys, but it was short lived as Josef, with vamp speed, snatched them out of his hand. "Hey!"

"You're not going anywhere. She specifically told me to make sure you stayed here till she got back."

"And you won't tell me what this is all about?" Mick asked, only slightly mollified.

"Me? Hell, no. You'll just have to wait and ask her."

"And she sent you, why?" Maybe if he annoyed Josef enough, he'd get some information.

Josef heaved a put-upon sigh. "So you wouldn't freak out."

"Why, is there something I should freak out about?"

"You're impossible! You got anything to drink around here?" Josef headed for the special fridge.

"I wouldn't insult you by offering you that vegan stuff."

"Ha ha, very funny." Josef proceeded to fix himself a scotch, lacing liberally with blood. "If there was something really wrong I would tell you. She's with her father."

"Her father?" Mick relaxed a bit. Maybe she just needed some time alone with Aldo to mend fences?

"Yes, her father."

 _But…_ "Why couldn't she call me and tell me that herself?"

Josef rolled his eyes and took healthy swig of his drink. "She really owes me for this."

"Owes you for what?" Mick asked, suspicion returning. Well, not that it had really gone anywhere.

"For dealing with you. Remind me again, how'd I get mixed up with you two?"

"You're my friend."

"I may have to re-think that position. Now shut up and sit down."

Mick did as told. Well, he sat, anyway. He felt compelled to try to explain his unease to the other vampire. His brain wanted to believe Josef, but his instincts were screaming at him. "We have this… I can tell when there's something wrong, I can sense it."

Josef flopped down into a chair. "Mick. You're my best friend. And her—do you think I'd be sitting here if there was really something wrong and she needed you? I'm not that stupid, nor do I have a death wish. She's perfectly safe."

What Josef said made sense, but Mick's brain was beginning to engage more and he could put two and two together. The only explanation was that something had happened – but that whatever it was, was over. She's perfectly safe. _Now_ seemed unspoken.

"So why did she send you here?"

"You're a broken record, you know that? She sent me to calm you down because she didn't want you to go nutso when you didn't hear from her."

Mick couldn't help the slight grin. "It's working really well."

"Shut up, smart ass."

Mick's grin widened a bit. A little calmer now, he continued. "I mean, since when is Beth contacting you to do her favors."

"The woman is a menace. I'm wondering if a cross would repel her. Maybe some garlic or holy water…"

Mick smiled widely now. "You like her."

"Watch your mouth! She's a human."

"Uh-huh." He muttered, unconvinced. If he had to sit here and wait, he could at lease amuse himself at Josef's expense. "Should I be jealous?"

"That's great. I hope you're enjoying yourself."

Mick nodded. "I figure, why should I suffer alone?"

"Oh, believe me, I'm suffering. My only consolation is she's _your_ woman, not mine."

"I can live with that," Mick agreed happily.

"You're both crazy," Josef pronounced.

Mick wondered though if Josef would be quite so accepting of Beth if she wasn't part vampire. Unlike what he'd thought when he first met her, she wasn't really an outsider to their world. For many vampires, the term half breed would have the same connotations as it did when it used to refer to a child of a Native American and a white man. Outsider, outcast. But he knew Josef wouldn't see it that way. He was dedicated to protecting his own.

He pinned his friend with an intense gaze. "Tell me that's the truth? She's really okay?"

"She's really okay. I promise."

Knowing his friend as well as he did, Mick knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of him. For now, all he could do was wait. Unable to sit still, he got up to pace the minutes away.

Josef watched impassively for awhile, sipping his drink. Then he spoke. "When she gets here… don't cross examine her the minute she walks in the door. She's had a rough day, so give her a break and let her tell you about it when she's ready."

The uncharacteristic comment stopped Mick in his tracks. He stared at Josef, mouth open in shock. Then he collapsed back into the chair. Continued starting at Josef for a long time. Josef pretended not to notice.

 

XXX

 

After what seemed like an eternity, the wait was finally over. Mick jumped up off the chair well before the Turners got off the elevator. He grabbed the remote and had the door before they got to it. Then she was inside, looking weary and bedraggled but unharmed. He barely noticed Aldo, focused solely on her.

"What happened? Are you okay?" She walked into his open arms, and he closed them around her automatically. "Beth, I was so worried…" he admitted, holding on tightly, not sure he'd ever be able to let go again. Eventually he was able to calm somewhat, and gaze sheepishly at Aldo over her head. "Hi, dad," he smiled ruefully.

Beth looked at him in questioningly. "Dad?"

"Don't ask," he responded, unable to resist kissing her, because it felt like years since he'd been able to do that.

"I believe it's time for us to take our leave, J," Aldo announced, setting a box of groceries on the floor. "I'll call you tomorrow, Bethy, or you can call me… if you want to talk…. Or anything. Whenever you're ready."

"I will," she said. "We have a lot of talking to do."

 _So do we_ , Mick thought, but kept silent. And kept his hold on Beth as well.

Josef jumped up out of his chair as if shot from a canon. "Good. You don't know what I've just been through with him. Let's get the hell out of here. I just had to babysit Mick for her, and it wasn't a pretty sight."

Beth touched Josef's arm as he passed them on his way to the door. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"What can I say? Turns out we live in the same neighborhood after all." To Mick's surprise, he winked at her, and then slung an arm around Aldo's shoulders. "C'mon, I'll buy you a pint, of A negative."

"What was that about?" Mick asked her as the door closed on the two men, referring to Josef's odd parting words to her.

"Don't ask," she told him. "Just hold me."

Not a request that was a hardship to fulfill. "You're really okay?"

She smiled at him tiredly. "I'm okay. I know you're wondering what's going on."

"Yes," he admitted. "But I can wait if you're not up to talking about it yet." She stared at him with more than a little surprise. "If you want something to eat? Bath? Drink? Sleep?"

Beth smiled. "Know what I really want?"

"What?" Anything she wanted he would gladly provide.

"You." She reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"I thought… you were tired?" his question ended on a squeak, as she boldly stroked her hand over the growing bulge in his pants. Possessively.

"I've got my second wind."

 _Holy crap_. Whatever had gone on that day seemed to make her horny. If the way she was pushing him toward stairs was any indication. His shirt was unbuttoned but she had left it on, using the edges to pull him along.

"Ms. Turner, are you trying to ravish me?"

"You got a problem with that, Mr. St. John?" she challenged.

He held his arms out from body, giving her access. "Have at it."

She grinned, a private grin as if to a private joke. "C'mere, big boy."

Upstairs, the bed seemed to be smiling. Or maybe it was leering. Or maybe Mick was just projecting. Beth undressed him as they stood beside the bed. The feeling of her hands at his waist undoing his belt and pants was hotter than he would have imagined.

After he was naked, she stood admiring him for a moment, then began removing her own clothing. Not slowly to put on a show, but not quickly either. He stood there, bemused, going along with whatever she wanted.

When the last piece of clothing was gone, she rubbed herself against him briefly, like a cat. His head flew off his body and hit the ceiling when she slid down and took him into her mouth. Time ceased to have any meaning, vanishing in an unending now. He was still trying to process that when he found himself on the bed, Beth straddling him. Too stunned to do anything but let her take the lead. Didn't mean he couldn't help… he plunged hands into her hair and pulled her down to him for some enthusiastic kissing.

 _I'm absolutely dreaming_. He grabbed her hips to help support her as she lowered herself onto him, unable to help himself from bucking off the bed slightly. She flung her head back and moaned. He could feel her moan all though his entire body. _No, I'm dying_ , he corrected.

After a few awkward moments they found a rhythm together. He felt the edges blurring as his control slipped quietly away, unnoticed. The next thing he was aware of through the haze of pleasure was that they were now on their sides, still locked together, striving for that one perfect point.

"Now." She said, and before he knew what was happening or even what command he was obeying, his fangs were piercing her neck. The world exploded in red, deafening but silent.

Time snapped back into reality, leaving him sprawled on the bed, staring at her and feeling shell shocked. Her chest heaved as she struggled to get breathing under control. He reached out a shaky hand to her neck. The wound wasn't bleeding much; he could tell he hadn't taken much.

She finally found her voice. "Oh – my – god."

"We can't do that very often."

She laughed breathlessly. "We shouldn't have to!"

"Are you--"

She covered his lips with two fingers. "I am so far beyond okay, they haven't invented a word yet."

Mick couldn't help but grin. He was doing a lot of that lately. "Me too."

The room was quiet for a bit, as they both recovered.

"You'll have to wear a turtleneck for a few days," he told her.

"I'll tell everyone I have a hickey," she giggled.

"Wouldn't want you to have to lie," he decided, suddenly pouncing on her neck, picking a spot well away from the bite, and beginning to take care of that problem. She laughed.

He didn't stop until he'd made her laughs turn to moans, and he was hard inside of her again, and they rocked together gently. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair. Climax rolled over both of them in slow waves this time, no less sweet for lack of intensity.

He stared into her eyes, avidly taking in every response of her body. No two people could be more one. "Marry me."

Her happy gaze seemed to morph into something a little sad. She ran her hand lovingly through his hair. "Ask me again."

"Huh?" he said, confused and a bit worried.

"Ask me again, after I tell you what happened today."

The implication of that was incomprehensible. He shook his head brusquely. "I'm asking you now. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes," she said through another kiss. "Oh, yes."

Mick was feeling pretty pleased with himself as they lay in each other's arms. This being happy stuff was pretty alien and weird, but he was starting to think he might be able to get used to it. It amazed him how Beth could make him feel human again. The longer it went on, the more he determined not to let anything screw it up.

"You wanna tell me now?" he finally asked her.

Beth sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. He respected her silent request for space. "Well, for one thing I broke up with Josh tonight."

He reached out; trailed fingers up and down her arm. "Considering we're engaged now, that was probably a good move."

She laughed, but then quickly sobered. "Not the only one."

Mick looked at her questioningly, but she didn't elaborate. "He didn't give you a hard time, did he?" he asked with sudden suspicion and tentative anger.

"No, not really. It went as good as these things can be expected to."

Grasping for a reason for the unease radiating from her, he tried an unpleasant idea on for size. "Are you having—" _Second thoughts? Regrets?_

Beth interrupted him. "Finish that sentence and I'll give you a black eye."

"Won't last long," he commented, smothering a grin of relief.

"So I'll just keep doing it. It'll be fun."

"I didn't know Josh was back in town," Mick encouraged the conversation along.

"Neither did I until he walked into the interrogation room."

Mick sat up in bed, anxiety creeping back. "What interrogation room??"

"Then, I – unexpectedly – saw my father for the first time in over 20 years. That was…hard."

His hand returned to rub her arm comfortingly. "It'll get easier, with time."

She looked at him. "Time heals all wounds?"

"I sure as hell hope so."

Beth looked away. "Me, too. Coraline is dead."

Interrogation room. Coraline dead. The words came together frighteningly, and he was paralyzed with the implications. "Beth," he reached for her and pulled her into his arms, space be damned. "Beth… Tell me what happened."

She recited the facts, no emotion in her voice. "I went to her loft to talk to her. I told her I knew who she was and what she wanted. I told her she couldn't have it. She didn't take the news well. She had a gun, we struggled. It went off, and she lost."

For a moment, Mick struggled to fight the hazy feeling in his head, certain he was going to pass out. The thought of Beth going against Coraline… even as a human, she had a few centuries of experience and insanity over Beth. "I could have lost you…" he said, horrified. Words couldn't describe his racing emotions.

"No! That wasn't going to happen, I wouldn't take a chance like that."

"How do you know that?!" he was dismayed to note his voice rose with some amount of anger, but couldn't help it and wasn't going to try.

She hesitated, took a breath and he could see her come to a decision. "The Voice told me."

He looked at her. He blinked. "Excuse me?"

She ran her hand through her hair. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I've been hearing this "Voice" inside. Giving me information I shouldn't have known. – Don't look at me like that – you can "smell" the past, how weird is that?! I think it might be…some sort of skill I have because I'm…part vampire. Kind of a cross between psychic and instinct."

He stared at her, trying to reign in the dozens of emotions battling for dominance. "And you were going to tell me this, when?"

"I knew you were going to be mad at me," she said, pulling away.

And because anger was occasionally a part of any normal relationship, didn't change the fact that he loved her more than life, he took her arm back and kissed the palm of her hand. "Do you know what it would do to me if I lost you?"

"Yes." Her eyes flashed fire. "The same as it would do to me if I lost you. I had a talk with her, human to human. I did what I had to do to protect you. Sound familiar?"

 _Touché_. He rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Are you in trouble?"

"It was self defense, and I have plenty of proof that I was investigating this woman for impersonating Morgan Vincent. I've got a good lawyer if I should need him."

"Lawyer?"

"Aldo Turner, Esquire, " She said with a wry twist of a smile. "They say girls fall in love with men like their fathers. My first long term relationship was with a lawyer, I fell in love with a vampire. I'm such a text-book case."

"That's a textbook case??" He squeezed the hand he held. He still felt shell shocked, but then again that was becoming a way of life for him. Time to get used to it. "You want that bath now?"

"Yeah, I'll take the drink too."

 

XXX

 

Mick walking into the bathroom, momentarily distracted by the sight of Beth lounging in the tub. Her wet skin, glistening in the light from the candle that sat on the rim as she sipped from a glass of brandy; battling the part of him that wanted to go to her. He had another mission to complete.

"I need to go to the morgue." She looked at him. "I'm sorry. But I have to be sure. Last time…" He'd been convinced Coraline had burned to death in the cabin, hadn't checked to make sure. This time he wouldn't be able to rest until he did.

Beth nodded in understanding. "I'll go with you."

"You don't have—"

"I'm going with you," her tone brooked no argument.

 

XXX

 

Guillermo pointed them to the drawer with the body of the latest Jane Doe, his gaze on Beth curious but he didn't ask questions. Mick was disinclined to share anything, so it was a relief.

Mick stopped them at the door. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked Beth.

"I'm not gonna let you go in there and view your ex-wife's body alone."

He nodded, and hand in hand they approached the drawer. Without pausing, Mick pulled it open. He focused on the body with all of his senses, studying every detail. After a tense moment, he slumped in relief.

"It's her. She's dead." Never again would Coraline be a threat to them.

"I'm sorry," Beth whispered, and it was so completely different from the direction of his own thoughts that he gaped at her in confusion for a moment.

"Huh?"

"She was your wife. I mean," she looked away. "You cared for her," she finished in a whisper.

No matter that they were in the middle of the morgue in the middle of the night, he took her into his arms. "Yeah, I did. Once. Coraline made her choices in life, just like the rest of us. She brought the consequences on herself. We all have to live with our consequences." _Or die with them._

"Let's go home," was all she said to that.

 

XXX

 

Mick and Beth were having their respective breakfasts the next morning, when her cell phone rang. Looking at the display, she smiled at him and took the call.

"Hello Maureen," she made a face at Mick. He could have heard the other side of the conversation too, but didn't care. He was content just to listen to her voice. "Uh-huh. " Pause. "Sorry, I was a little…busy, you know what with the police and everything," But she was blushing and he knew she wasn't thinking of the PD. "Of course I will." Pause. "First thing, yes, soon as I get in. Okay? Goodbye Mo." She put the phone back on the counter and grinned at him. "She wants to run the exclusive interview with me this morning. You know, Buzz Wire's top reporter involved in murder of Buzz Wire photographer who was actually an imposter…"

"So you're on the other side of the story for a change. "

"I suppose it'll be good for giving me a certain amount of sensitivity towards the people whose stories I'm covering in the future."

"That's my practical Beth." His eyes twinkled at her teasingly. "Top reporter, was that Maureen's words?"

"I was paraphrasing."

He leaned over to give her a kiss. "But truth. You are the best."

"You're biased," she told him, but her face was glowing at the compliment.

"Yeah, but it's still the truth." A knock at the door interrupted the moment between them. He grabbed the remote to let his friend in. "Is it me, or is this apartment starting to resemble grand central station?"

Josef breezed in without preliminaries. "Here ya go, Nora," he tossed a file at Beth.

"What's this?" she asked, opening it and gasping at the contents.

"Everything my people found in 'Morgan's' loft that could be incriminating for our little neighborhood."

Mick looked too; it was full of photographs. All of them of Mick and Beth, starting shortly after that night at the fountain. "She was stalking us!"

Josef snorted. "No shit. Oh, by the way, the police will be calling you shortly. The Vincent's confirmed that the woman claiming to be Morgan wasn't their daughter. So now they've got a missing person's report out on her. The body at the morgue was officially listed as Jane Doe. They're buying the self defense and aren't going to press charges. It's over."

"It's gonna take a lot more than lunch to repay this one, isn't it?" Beth asked him.

Mick looked between two of them, not sure he liked the conversation. "What the hell--?"

Josef shared look with Beth that Mick couldn't interpret. "Inside joke."

"The two of you have inside jokes now? I think I'm hearing the music from the twilight zone."

Then it got even more astounding when Beth walked over and hugged Josef, kissed him on the cheek – and he let her. He wore a look of complete tolerance – which for Josef was equal to warm affection.

"You got my marker," she told him. "You know I'm good for it." In his language, sort of, letting him know if he ever needed anything she'd be there. And could handle whatever she needed to.

Josef nodded. And Mick decided he was hallucinating, because there was no way he just saw Josef Konstantin kiss Beth Turner on the cheek in return.

Josef headed for door. "You got your hands full with that one, _Nick_. Take care of Nora. Don't screw it up!"

The door closed to absolute silence, until Mick found his voice. "Wow. He really blew his image, didn't he?"

Beth shrugged as if unconcerned. "Something else I'm thinking about blowing right now."

"Nora!" Mick exclaimed in a scandalized tone at her suggestion.

"Nick…" she replied, advancing on him.

"I really have to watch those damn movies," Beth grumbled, and it was the last anyone said in the apartment for a long time.

 

**end**

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you know, there is a weird but humorous line in the sex scene. It's done on purpose; just for a giggle.


End file.
